


SPARKS FLY

by minjiyoo



Category: Dreamcatcher (Korea Band)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Smut, Stan Dreamcatcher, anything that keeps my mind up at night, constantly crying for singji, dreamcatcherjiu, dreamcatchersingji, dreamcatchersiyeon, singji
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:00:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25146601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minjiyoo/pseuds/minjiyoo
Summary: “in the middle of the night when i'm in this dream, it's like a million little stars calling out your name”
Relationships: Kim Minji | JiU/Lee Siyeon
Comments: 17
Kudos: 83
Collections: MILLION LITTLE STARS (A SINGJI COLLECTION)





	1. sparks fly (i)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “meet me in the pouring rain  
> kiss me on the sidewalk  
> take away the pain  
> cause i see sparks fly  
> whenever you smile”

The bells chime as she pushes the door open to a small cafe she recently discovered from  Yoohyeon . She scans the place and tries to look for a table to settle herself in, trying to find her much needed peace.  Yoohyeon said it's best to go here by midnight as the shop closes very late and is never full during that time.

She sinks deeper in her scarf to cover half of her face, pulling her cap lower to make sure no one notices who she is. If there's something she badly wants to escape from right now, it's attention and everything that comes with it.

Siyeon is tired. Listless. Exhausted. Worn out.

Maybe the fact that she's  bare faced didn't help at all. She feels shitty if she was to be precise.

"Hi! Can I get your order?" The woman at the counter smiled at her and she didn't really bother to pull her scarf down to reciprocate it.

"One iced-americano and a slice of blueberry cheesecake."

"For here or to go?" It was then that  Siyeon figured out that the girl's name is  Gahyeon . Fitting for someone so... bright.

"Here."

"Alright. That would be 8 dollars!"

She fumbles with the zipper of her coat to get the cash she hurriedly withdrew from the machine on her way here. Neatly easing up the creases of the bill, she hands it to  Gahyeon who was quick to give her  her change and dismiss her to sit where she prefers.

She sits in a corner, back facing the shop's entrance. She fishes out her phone to check any important message that needs her immediate response, and sighs in relief to find none.

The sky is exceptionally dark that night. As if it's  sympathizing with how  Siyeon feels. She doesn't even know how she ended up feeling like the worst person in the world, but it has something to do with being tired of the cycle her life has been taking for as long as she can remember.

She only wanted people to listen to her, listen to what she has to say.

But she's Lee  Siyeon who's at the peak of success. She nearly has everything so why would she feel burdened by something she can't even explain. She shakes her head to think of something else and free her mind from worries.

Her order is then served. As she eats in silence, she notices how lovely the rain is pouring outside, painting the glass with its droplets.

The bells  chime once  again, and she hears chatters from afar. Orders are taken,  Gahyeon mentions the cost.

A light and shaky voice asks, "C-can... I have a discount for... this?"

Gahyeon stutters as she tries to say carefully, "We're not allowed to give discounts, Ma'am."

"I... just... just remove the coffee then and leave the cake. I'll just get the cake."

Siyeon decides to turn, eyes  hovering at the counter.  Gahyeon , pouting a little, seems to have already removed the coffee the customer  initially ordered. She looked over the other woman and ran her eyes across her back. She is taller than  Siyeon , her dress a little bit worn out and dirty. Hair colored in a fading purple, tied in a loose ponytail.

Siyeon's heart clenched, confused at what's happening.

She acts faster than she could think and walks her way to the counter, startling both  Gahyeon and the customer. 

"I'll pay for whatever she'll take." Words leave her mouth in haste and she searches for the bills in her coat's pocket and realizes she only has enough cash for herself.

The woman senses her sudden pause, waving her hands to decline but  Siyeon always does things before she figures them out and so she handed  Gahyeon her office card.

Lee Siyeon   
Lee Law Firm

Gahyeon's fingers shake a little as she takes it as she sighs inwardly. Cover completely blown, she turns to the still woman beside her and encouraged her to order more.

Siyeon is used to being looked at from head to toe, with eyes scanning her with either admiration or fear.

But the woman beside her eyes her with neither of those.

"You don't need to do that." A voice sounding nothing like  Siyeon has heard before, she blinks before letting out a smile that she was trained to have for situations that require it.

"It's okay. I have extra money to give so consider it a gift." She wishes she didn't sound condescending, and then she shifts from one foot to another in discomfort until  Gahyeon handed her  her card back.

She was confused on what to do  next, so she bows dumbly before the stranger and carefully walks back to her table. She sighs her breath out she didn't know she was holding until it felt like air was being sucked out of her chest.

She has always hated situations like this.

Hurrying up to finish her slice of cake, she picks up her coffee and rushes out of the cafe.  Gahyeon's faint 'goodbye' fading as the sound of pouring rain filled her ears.

It is nearly two in the morning when she pulled her car out of the parking lot, her headlights flaring against a figure she only saw for a short time but already felt so familiar.

The woman struggled to hold both the cake and the drink in her hands. The umbrella did so little help to protect her from the rain that seem to have poured stronger.

Siyeon wanted to get out of her car and help her but she did more than what's needed already, more than she would let herself on other occasions. She drives past the woman and allows herself  to be the selfish person people used to call her.

Just this once.

—

"Oh my god." 

Siyeon holds her head with both hands, brows furrowing.

"You look horrible."

And she didn't have to be told something she already knew. She runs her fingers on her locks, letting it flow freely (and messily) on her shoulders.

"I know." She breathes out.

"Did you even take a bath?"

She throws a glare at her office mate but finds out how she's looking at her with a pained  expression, so she shakes her head.

"What happened?" She knows Bora will not stop bothering unless she tells her something to feed her nosy self. 

"Went for a  late-night drive."

"And?" Of course, Bora was to decide  whether she has shared enough information to feed her nosy self.

"Took some coffee and stayed up until almost seven am."

Bora doesn't seem convinced but the way  Siyeon is massaging her temple aggressively made her delay the interrogation. Also, Bora doesn't have to know the reason why she stayed up so late or she's never  gonna hear the end of it.

"As much as I want to let you rest for a bit, have you seen your next case?"

She groans at the mention of her pending  paperwork and Bora chuckles. 

"Where is it?"

"Placed it on your drawer before I went home yesterday." 

Even  before she could check out the folder from the said drawer, Bora starts.

"It's a child custody case,  Siyeon ."

This is easy,  Siyeon thinks. She knows she doesn't have to put so much effort into this knowing exactly how the Mother of the child will win the case.

"I see."

"You're  gonna defend the father."

Siyeon looks at Bora, and then back to the folder.

Oh.

That's a new news. She opens the folder and allows Bora  to brief her with it.

"This is a lost case for the mother, to be honest, so this is going to be easy for you."

"Lost case? Why?"

Bora sighs as if the weight of the case is hers to bear.

"Mother is jobless. She's fully supported by the father of the child until she filed an annulment last year. The man has quite a name and you know how those cliche stories of men ruining women's life happened because their ego was hurt."

"The mother didn't get the chance to work at all?"

"Not with the man doing whatever nasty thing he's doing to stop it." Bora sighs again, and this time,  Siyeon feels its weight. "She was a pre-school teacher."

"Why did you accept it?" The question sounded harsher than  Siyeon intended it to be and Bora understood. 

It's a sensitive matter for  Siyeon . Having to grow up as an orphan, she has always tried her best to survive until Bora's parents came into the picture and adopted her. She has always hated child custody cases because they make her feel bitter about how her parents never once fought to keep her. She thinks keeping her was never their choice.

"Dad requested you for this," There's defeat in Bora's voice and  Siyeon knew she has already lost the argument. "I'm sorry."

Siyeon mumbles a soft 'it's okay' and proceeds to  investigate the details of her new case. Every page turned, she can feel her heart sinking deeper and deeper until she scanned her eyes  throughout the information of the child's mother.

"Kim Minji."

It's the woman back in the coffee shop.


	2. sparks fly (ii)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You touch me once and   
> it's really something  
> You find I'm even better than you,   
> imagined I would be”
> 
> — SPARKS FLY, Taylor Swift

  
Siyeon knows she expected more from the man before her. She has seen him from the profile provided to her days ago, but she had hoped he's at least... better than what his records say.

She rubs her arm, trying not to stare too much as the man lays the  papers that she had asked him to bring to their meeting.

Mr. Choi was 33 years old when he got married to Minji. It was a rush wedding. It turned out that Minji was already pregnant when it happened. They now have a four-year-old daughter.

_ Lily _ .

"Do you need anything?" Mr. Choi breaks her trance.

Siyeon blinks before clearing her throat. 

"Why are you so eager to get the child?" She asks, ignoring the question, eyes fixed on Mr. Choi. He has weird habits and it irks  Siyeon to watch how he would repeatedly tap his fingers on the table, how he would loosen his tie every 5 minutes and how he pushes his glasses up every time he shifts on his seat.

"What do you mean?" He asks, perplexed. "Lily is my—"

"I see on the records here provided by my team that you didn't really take the child as yours until 1 year after she was born, thinking your ex-wife had her before you seduced her with your fake affection and money."

Bora's father would often tell  Siyeon that she needs to be a bit subtle and gentle with her clients so they can be pushed to talk more.  Siyeon , however, thinks that there are cases when clients need to be slapped on the face with  evidence for them to  talk .

Fear is, after all, the greatest drive.

"I..." The old man stutters and  Siyeon feels a weird satisfaction at seeing his discomfort.

"I think she'll do better with her mother."  Siyeon adds.

"Minji can't provide her needs."

"Well, maybe you should stop sabotaging her life so she could find a decent job to provide for her daughter."

Mr. Choi eyes her with confusion. "You're supposed to be on my side. You are my lawyer."

"I hold nothing to defend you in the court aside from your ex-wife's incapability to get a job and provide for her own daughter which is also  your doing."

"That's what I hired you for."

Mr. Choi looks at her, challenging her but she only lets out a heavy sigh. He's right. Her job is to let this man win the case. 

Why is she letting this bother her so much?

  
— 

Siyeon finds herself back in the cafe later that night, eyes quickly scanning the area to secure a seat. She walks smoothly to  Gahyeon who then bowed politely at the sight of her, smiling timidly but still as bright as the last time.

"One Iced-Americano and a slice of Blueberry Cheesecake." She hands  Gahyeon a few bills, making sure she has enough in case she needs it.

She sits at the same spot, briefly checking her messages and seeing a few from Bora and one from Bora's father. It's a short, _ "Mr. Choi was displeased" _ . She shrugs her shoulder. She shuts her eyes, resenting how the day is starting awfully.

The bells chime right after her orders were served. Letting the solemn buzz of people talking behind her, she watches the view outside. It seems to rain a lot these days.

She takes a sip of her coffee, already getting a view of how it'll keep her up until early in the morning. She gets startled when she feels the seat next to her shifting, a figure she never thought she'd see again sitting on it.

"H-hi..."

  
—

This side of the cafe helps  Siyeon to see more of the other person's face, young looking but very tired. She follows the lines on her forehead and how it makes her eyes look somber. 

She is very pretty, that  Siyeon must admit, to herself, at least. She's dressed better than the last time she saw  her, and she can't help but feel pain by how she's probably trying to live the days in fear of her daughter being taken away from her.

And with that thought,  Siyeon wonders why this woman is here knowing she has a child to take care of.

"I didn't get to say thank you the other day." Her voice sounds even better this time. "I'm Minji, by the way." She then reaches out a hand .

Siyeon tries to act surprised. With a smile painted on her face (not like the forced one she had previously), she takes her hand and shakes it. It feels like feather against her own. 

"No problem and I'm  Siyeon ."

"I know." Of course, she knows.  Siyeon waits for Minji to say more but she stays quiet as if she's thinking deeply. "That cake is my daughter's favorite."

Siyeon mentally winces at the familiar tug in her chest and she does her best to ignore it.

"Are you here to buy it again?" She quickly fishes for the bills in her pocket. "I mean, I have--"

"No. No. Please." Minji's hand is on her own again and she swallows the invisible lump in her throat. Since when did breathing get so hard? "I'm here to actually buy you another cup of coffee as a payment. I mean, if you like. I can only offer coffee though. I'm so sorry."

Siyeon watches Minji's cheeks turn into the softest shade of pink.

"You don't have to. I told you that was a gift." She's not even sure if this woman has enough money to buy her a coffee. 

"I did the neighbor's laundry and they kind of gave me a good tip. I can buy you a coffee and my daughter a cake."

Siyeon's heart aches at the mention of Minji doing somebody else's chores in exchange of small money. How did someone so beautiful end up to this?

"If..."  Siyeon gulps. "If you want. Sure."

Minji smiles, wider and the creases on the side of her eyes go away as it forms the prettiest crescent.

Siyeon holds back a gasp.

She never thought she'd see  _ sparks fly  _ on someone's smile.


	3. sparks fly (iii)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I'm on my guard for the rest of the world  
> But with you I know its no good  
> And I could wait patiently  
> But I really wish you would
> 
> Drop everything now”
> 
> — SPARKS FLY, Taylor Swift

The air stills as  Siyeon struts in and down to her seat. Her client follows behind her with a rush. She sees familiar faces inside the room. Some of which she had worked with for past cases. One  face , however, is way more familiar than the rest. She had seen that face across her, physically and not. It had made her sleepless for some nights.

Minji eyes  Siyeon and the latter feels her heart wanting to jump out of her chest. She isn't one to get nervous during  work, but this job makes everything a bit too hard. 

Minji doesn't look fazed. It's as if she was aware of it all along. Instead, she has a soft smile directed at Siyeon. A little too subtle that it's almost isn't there. Siyeon believes she doesn't deserve it.

Minji's gaze then lands to the man sitting beside Siyeon. Minji looks at him with what Siyeon recognizes as anger and hatred, but also Siyeon sees regrets. From what? Siyeon is curious to know.

Mr. Choi is confident. He can sense the victory at his  fingertips, and it makes  Siyeon feel sick. This is one of those days  Siyeon hates doing what she does.

"Shall we begin?" The judge asks, searching for objection and finds none.

Siyeon breaks her own trance and scans the place in search for Minji's defendant so they could start but the judge is already reading the opening for the hearing. Siyeon is confuse.

"And we have Miss Kim Minji here with us to defend her case for today's hearing."

Siyeon raises a brow and she looks at Minji. The latter's eyes meet hers in a silent plea. Maybe a voiceless,  _ "Go easy on me" _ . On other occasions, Siyeon would find this an advantage. A step to success. Yet she feels none of those. She feels uncertainties, instead. She feels  _ guilt _ .

The hearing proceeds.  Siyeon's side explaining why her client must get the custody. She  feels like she had done it terribly, earning a raised brow from the judge himself.  Siyeon accepts the questioning look but says nothing. Then, it's Minji's turn to lay her plans for her daughter. 

Minji's hands shake as she places them on the table. 

Siyeon sees fear in her eyes.

"I... My..." Minji starts, voice failing to sound as firm she wants to. Mr. Choi snickers beside  Siyeon , Minji quickly looking up at him then down, feeling  embarrassed . 

Siyeon feels her blood boil, fist clenching from where it's hidden, under the table.

"Seems like she has no plan at all." The man adds, earning a scolding from the judge and a stern warning to keep his court etiquette.

"I..." Minji tries again. "...I don't have a very big plan. My resources are  limited, and I can only make enough to ensure Lily doesn't starve. I never failed." A proud smile paints Minji's lips although quick. "I am preparing to send her to school this year and I've been working extra hard. I..." Minji clears her throat. She blushes,  Siyeon senses shame. "I... I've been doing the neighbors' laundries and they help me get through the day."

Siyeon stays there and she does her best to let the words slip her ears, refusing to hear everything as it sounds more painful for her than it is for her client who has no remorse on his face.

The world is truly unfair.

—

The hearing ends and Siyeon knows for sure it's in their favor. Unless the judge has a huge heart and makes it a winning case for the woman at the other end of the room, quickly stuffing her papers inside her slightly worn-out bag.

She wants to move forward and greet her, but her client makes a move to walk to Minji instead. She can't really hear what they are talking  about, but she sees the woman making a gap between them two. Minji's brows furrow and her jaw clenches before Mr. Choi backs away with a smug smile on her face.

Siyeon silently hopes the judge does have a huge heart and hopes he uses it well.

—

Siyeon arrives later at the cafe. It's nearly four in the morning and she's in desperate need of caffeine to satiate the need to do something after another sleepless night. The shop is about to close but Gahyeon welcomes her just as brightly as before.

Taking brewed coffee this time, she sits at the far end of the shop, this time, facing the entrance. She can see thunders flashing from afar. The rain is pouring so hard. The view outside barely visible.

She taps her sweater, trying to dry herself the best that she could. A slight movement near her causes her to look up.

Minji stands before her.

At this point,  Siyeon is no longer surprised with how frequent they meet in this  cafe, but she does feel a little tingly at the sight of the woman. She tries to decipher the new emotion but Minji speaks.

"Hey..." Minji gives out a smile and it's almost funny how it resembles sunshine with how gloomy the day is starting.

"Hey." Siyeon smiles back, a bit too wide. "Where were you from? Or are you just about to go somewhere?" Siyeon asks for the sake of starting a conversation.

Minji takes the seat across her. "Sent Lily to my parents." 

Siyeon nods. She ignores the fact that Minji just started to talk about  _ Lily _ knowing how Siyeon must have known the kid all this time. She gulps. "This early?"

"Yeah. Need to do something very early."

Siyeon doesn't want to pry. She takes a sip of her coffee, trying to look elsewhere yet failing. 

Minji looks even prettier today. She's wearing a casual dress. Her hair styled neatly. And she carries a sling bag different from that one bag she used to have all the time.

"Will try my luck with job hunting again." Minji shyly mumbles. It's almost lifeless. A faint declaration of something that will soon end as a failure like it always would.

Siyeon plays with the rim of her cup. "Sorry." Somehow, she feels the need to apologize.

Minji remains silent until her order was served. Too silent that Siyeon's throat itches to start yet another conversation.

"It isn't your fault I made terrible decisions." Minji says. Her words are laced with both humor and regrets. "I was really dumb."

"Falling in love  _ isn't  _ dumb." 

Siyeon adores the way Minji eyes fix at her then she smiles, head lowers down. She shakes her head and looks back up to Siyeon.

"I kind of knew it'd end up to  this, but I took the risk still so that's dumb."

"You were about to have a child. It isn't your fault you needed his support."

"I was a pre-school teacher. I was scared it will ruin what I worked so hard for." Minji sighs, the memories of how everything started replaying in her head. "It ruined me either way."

"You still were brave for choosing what could have been the best option you have for  _ Lily _ ." The child's name rolls beautifully on her tongue. It leaves tickles in her chest.

Minji chuckles. "You really do know a lot about me, huh?"

Siyeons makes a face. "I wish I don't actually. Some..." She pauses, gauging the other woman's reaction. "...information was  _ not _ exactly pleasant."

Minji sighs yet again. This time, it's less troubled, less burdened.

"I'm sorry this has to happen." Siyeon has no idea what she's sorry for but the way Minji reaches out for her hand to gently caress it, Siyeon thinks that maybe the apologies alone are enough.

"You are not at fault."

Siyeon feels the weight she's been carrying for days lifted  off her shoulders.

She then decides.

—

Siyeon's moves are abrupt. Tapping aggressively on her phone's screen, she removes her shoes and throws her blazer on her couch.

It takes three rings for someone to breathe on the other line.

Bora sounds too drowsy when she said, "Hello." 

"Bora."

Siyeon takes a deep breath. She knows how messy this could get but she had made her decision.

"Siyeon."

Settling herself on the center table, her heart beating violently against her chest, she runs a finger on the numbers written hastily on the tissue she had brought home from the cafe.

_ Minji's number. _

"Hello. Siyeon? Still there?"

She clears her throat then with her shaky voice, she demands Bora do something the latter would have no choice not to do.

"Handle Minji's case."


	4. sparks fly (iv)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just keep on keeping your eyes on me  
> Its just wrong enough to make it feel right  
> And lead me up the staircase  
> Won't you whisper soft and slow  
> And I'm captivated by you baby  
> Like a fireworks show
> 
> — SPARKS FLY, Taylor Swift

"No, Siyeon! I won't."

Siyeon looks up to Bora, eyes strained with tiredness. She can feel the impending headache that will surely make her suffer for the rest of the day and honestly, she isn't in the mood to talk to anyone. Not even Bora. She massages her temple softly, letting out a groan.

"It isn't even a question." She mumbles and she winces mentally with the way Bora's cursing resonates on the walls of their tiny office space. It isn't really tiny. It just feels like that with how suffocated Siyeon feels in it.

"Well, I decide not to. It's not even possible. You think Mr. Choi will consent to this?" 

Siyeon knows he won't. Siyeon knows it is not entirely forbidden but it is not a good practice for lawyers from the same firm to defend opposing parties. It's a conflict of interest. She knows that. She spent years learning all that only to be placed in a situation like this. And she despises how she has all the knowledge to actually help Minji, but she feels so helpless. Her hands are bonded. 

  
  


"I am not asking you to do it, Bora." Siyeon says, eyes boring into Bora's angry ones. "I am telling you to do so." And maybe it is selfish to ask that. She feels a slight disgust with the thought of using power to get things that she wants. Just like how Mr. Choi does. She feels anger filling up her chest and Bora sees it.

Bora sits across her table with a defeated sigh. "What are you doing?" The older girl asks and Siyeon can sense the genuine concern in her voice.

Siyeon refuses to answer, not willing to admit the reason she has behind doing all this. 

"You barely know her, Siyeon. This is not you." Bora puts emphasis on the last few words and Siyeon allows her to because she knows she's right. Bora waits for her to say something, to explain herself, to back out from this stupid idea that may possibly get her and the entire firm in trouble, but she stays mum. "You'll have to explain it yourself to Dad." Bora says again, sighing.

Siyeon regards her with a nod before proceeding in drowning herself in paperwork in hopes of getting her mind off the problems she has at hand.

  
  
  
  


\---

  
  
  
  
  


Mr. Choi stands up abruptly, knocking off the vase on top of the table. Siyeon follows his movement with a deadpan expression, Bora is sitting beside her, baffled.

  
  


"That's ridiculous!" The old man exclaims, finger pointed at Siyeon with anger. "You are supposed to be doing your job. I paid you for this. You and your firm should be all on my side."

  
  


Boras snickers and that catches Mr. Choi's attention, pointing at her next. "Does your father know about this?"

Bora shrugs. Her father has no idea and Siyeon and her both agreed on letting the younger girl do the explaining. It's about to get very messy, they are aware of it and Bora still thinks that this is a bad idea but Siyeon has hopes in this and it has been ages since she last seen Siyeon this invested with a case, especially one that involves families so she is willing to help the best that she can.

  
  


"I do not consent to this." Mr. Choi strongly declares. Siyeon expects that. She doesn't budge as the old man leaves the place, seething.

  
  


Siyeon exhales loudly, visibly exhausted. From beside her, Bora sits unmoving and Siyeon doesn't need to hear her say "I told you so". She brushes a hand on her hair and wets her lips. "I'll handle this." She tells Bora but honestly, it feels like she's consoling herself. Bora nods, both amused and confused.

_What does this Minji have that makes Siyeon risk it all?_

  
  
  


\---

  
  
  


Siyeon hasn't had rest for days. Work has been hell and exhaustion are getting the worst out of her. Bora urges her to move, to do something other than sort out cases after cases. And for once, after weeks of persuading, Siyeon drags herself off her office and down to the busy road of Seoul. She didn't bring her car, deciding to breathe fresh air. She just had a phone call from Bora's father and Siyeon expected him to get mad, but he didn't. Siyeon doesn't know if she should feel more worried about it. He simply asked her to sort things out and Siyeon is struggling to do just that. She needs to get her mind off the piling works that she has.

Siyeon didn't think her feet would take her to the cafe she hasn't visited for weeks now as well. And it's clearly not because she doesn't want to bump into Minji. At least that is what she's trying to tell herself. 

Siyeon hasn't been in the cafe during daytime. The memory she has of the place is all painted in morning dews and silent nights. The place is oddly unfamiliar today. People are all over the place, pacing. The line to the counter is long and Siyeon stands in the middle of it. She catches a glance of Gahyeon from the counter and the latter gives her a tiny wave, a smile as bright as ever. She returns the smile albeit less bright.

She briefly checks the messages on her phone to entertain herself for a while. For a lawyer, she has a terrible length of patience. She quickly replies to a message from Bora when she feels a soft nudge on her left leg. She tries to ignore it until the nudge becomes a light tapping on her thighs.

Siyeon looks down, brows furrowed. She has a snarky comment ready at the tip of her tongue. She pauses, however. Staring back at her is a toddler, a little girl around the age of four. Her hand looks tiny as it grabs Siyeon's shirt, tugging at the hem of it.

"Did you see Mommy?" The little girl asks in a voice so tiny that Siyeon barely hears it. 

Siyeon looks around, panic blooming in her chest. "I... I'm.. I don't know." She isn't so sure why she's panicking but the way the child's frown deepens doesn't make it better. "Are you lost?"

  
  


The kid blinks and only then does Siyeon notice the bunny plushie she's grasping with her other hand by the ear. "Lost?" The kid repeats, stepping back a little to look around then she looks up at Siyeon once more. "Mommy's lost."

  
  


Siyeon crouches in front of the little kid, the latter's eyes never leaving her. "We will look for her, okay?" Siyeon assures her, fingers gently fixing the kid's fringes. "What's your name?"

  
  


The little girl blinks and then tilts her head on the side, thinking deeply. She then raises four tiny fingers in Siyeon's face. "Lily."

  
  


Siyeon's eyes widen. Her legs wobble as she lets what she heard sink in. That must be it. That must be the reason as to why this girl feels familiar. She resembles Minji a lot. What the fuck?

"Lily!"

  
  


Siyeon is shaken from her trance by Lily wriggling away from her hold then to the woman standing from a safe distance. Siyeon swallows the lump in her throat. 

Minji.

"Mommy!" Lily quickly embraces Minji's legs and Minji holds her in her arms. Siyeon really can't hear what Minji is telling her daughter but it seems like she's cooing her. It's endearing to see, nonetheless. 

  
  


Then it hits Siyeon. She finally met Lily and she finds it a bit ridiculous, but she feels triumphant. The idea makes her chest tingle painfully good. It is weird. She watches the scene unfold in front of her. The way Minji cradles the little girl's face and talks to her animatedly makes Siyeon feel differently. Minji looks back to her and their gazes meet. She gives a small smile and Minji does the same. Before she can even process what to do next, it's already her turn to order, the duo disappearing from her line of sight.

\---

Siyeon doesn't even have to wait long before she sees Minji walking up to her, one hand holding Lily's tiny ones. She sips her coffee to help herself calm down because her heart rate is becoming crazily fast for no apparent reason. When she puts her cup down, Minji is already in front of her, Lily bouncing on her side.

"Hey." Minji greets and she smiles so wide that Siyeon has to look away.

"Hey. I didn't expect to see you here."

Minji shrugs. "Lily wants to buy her favorite cake again and I just finished doing the neighbor's laundry, so I brought her here."

Siyeon fights the urge to wince after hearing that but her jaw clenches which doesn't get unnoticed by Minji.

The tension then shifts awkwardly but Minji sits across her, picking up her toddler to her lap. Siyeon watches her. And with their faces so close like this, Siyeon can't help but be amazed by how much they look alike.

"She looks so much like you." Siyeon says, surprising herself and Minji.

  
  


Minji laughs softly then nods. "Thankfully, huh."

Siyeon smiles at the indication of Minji's statement. "I haven't seen you here for a long time."

"Yeah. I was handling something very important."

Minji stares at her as though she's waiting for her to say something more. Siyeon remains silent however, allowing herself to be entertained by how Lily is playing circles at the back of Minji's hands. The young girl catches her staring and smiles shyly which she returns just as shy.

"Your friend talked to me the other day." Minji says suddenly and Siyeon turns to look at the other girl. "The lawyer one. Bora."

  
  


Siyeon sits up straight and sips on her coffee once again, her hands sweating as she wraps it around the cup. "Yeah?" She feels nervous, scared even.

"She told me about your proposal." Minji adds and Siyeon nods, urging her to continue speaking, certain about the upcoming 'but'. "But she told me about the cons of it as well. On your side."

Suddenly, Siyeon wants to leave the place and go home. When she decides to unwind, this is not how she expected it to go. She breathes out, shakily.

"Yes." Siyeon answers.

Silence ensues between the two of them and Siyeon contemplates whether to explain or not, but a tiny pair of hands reach out for her hand and play with the rings she's wearing. "So pretty." Lily babbles and Minji shushes her and attempts to pull her daughter's hand off Siyeon's but Siyeon stops her.

"It's okay." She speaks. "Is it pretty, Lily?" She asks the little girl who then giggles before nodding. "Do you want to try it?"

Lily's face lights up and she claps.

"Siyeon." Minji calls for her but she ignores her as she pulls the rings off her fingers then placing it on the table for Lily to try. Siyeon is aware of the pair of eyes probably glaring at her as she coos at Lily, desperate to delay the impending question as much as she can but Minji really has something else in her head. "Why are you doing this?"

Siyeon hates that question. She furrows her brows and tries to come up with something to say, anything because she has no idea as well.

"Is your name Siyeon, auntie?" Lily breaks the silence yet again and her doe eyes bore in Siyeon's hazel ones and Siyeon sees nothing but innocence in it. And it's ironic enough that when she looks at Lily, she sees a younger version of Minji. It's absurd how she can't take the idea of Lily living without Minji and it hurts her to think about Minji not having Lily with her. It's none of her business, she knows. In fact, she tells herself about it every day because she realizes she cares too much for Minji more than she is willing to admit.

"Yes." Siyeon answers but her eyes are on Minji.

"That's not how you do it, auntie!" Lily exclaims. "It's like this. I'm Siyeon." The kid adds, raising four fingers in the air like how she did when Siyeon asked for her name. 

Siyeon laughs at that and hears Minji doing the same. Her gaze lands back at Minji as she does exactly what Lily wants her to do. "Yes, Lily-nim. I'm Siyeon" She struggles to count her age in front of the younger girl because two hands are not enough to count it and Lily mocks her for it.

Siyeon doesn't get to answer Minji's question really because Lily happens to have her own set of questions which includes whether Shrek is an avenger because her Mom told her he is. Siyeon patiently answers everything with utmost sincerity. Before she realizes it, Lily is already sitting on her lap, playing games on her phone as Minji sits across them, watching them with a smile Siyeon can't even begin to describe. She looks gorgeous.

By the time Siyeon gets home, she has around a hundred of photos of Lily on her phone taken by the kid herself and perhaps a few of Minji and her and all three of them together. Lily made a fit when Minji told her it's time to go home, refusing to let go of Siyeon's neck as the kid had her arms wrapped around it. Siyeon had to promise Lily that they will meet again and that she will visit her sometimes.

When it hits her, it hits her hard like a truck ran over her. The realization made her dizzy, her vision shaking as she held her phone in her hand, looking back at the photos of Minji and Lily together smiling so brightly on the camera. 

_"Why are you doing this?"_ Minji's question rings in her head, so loud. 

Siyeon holds the truth in her chest. 


End file.
